Behaviour and Mood Management

We can surrender our life to some crazy climb up some imaginary ladder but in the end what we have really done is surrender the gift of time and opportunity. We trade experience for possessions and before we know it out life owns us rather than the other way around.

Question some of your assumptions. Truly look at who’s happy and who’s not happy and you will see there is very little correlation between corporate or commercial success and actual deep enjoyment of life. More money, power or status does not make an experience more profound. Excitement is excitement whether you won the Stanley Cup in front 20,000 screaming fans or whether you won your beer-league cup and cheered like crazy with your buddies—it’s the same brain chemistry—it’s the same experience. Maximum joy is maximum joy. It’s doesn’t matter what you did to feel the joy, it’s the joy that matters.

Stop walking blindly along a path built by other people for reasons that have nothing to do with you. Reclaim your life. Forget achieving. It is time to engage fully, deeply and profoundly with life like when we did when we were kids.

When the brilliant comic Calvin and Hobbes first appeared my mother howled. Bill Watterston’s genius created a character that completely reminded my mom of me. I too had a stuffed Tiger and I too had a vivid imagination. I had a lot of fun with just that imagination. It didn’t need upgrades or more batteries or any repairs. It just needed to be engaged and it would generate joy and fascination. Let’s get back to that. Let’s get back to being fascinated. I know I love living that way so I do look forward to meeting you there.

Here’s some interesting and inspiring stuff for your Friday. Enjoy:

Here’s a beautiful story about two long lost friends who get a chance to be reunited:

And here’s a story about a woman who realized that realized her own beauty from the inside out:

And here’s Louis CK to remind us that we don’t have to blindly follow the paths laid out by others. Truly be free:

The Friday Dose is a collection of cool, interesting and surprising things that are chosen for their potential to distract you away from any painful thought loops that may currently be disrupting your sense of perspective. Save these for when you’re feeling low and you want to change your perspective. They’ll help Enjoy. And please let me know if you bump into any broken links. Thanks!